Improved die for cutting beveled soles for boots and shoes



, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZO S. GRAVES, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED DIE FOR CUTTING BEVELED SOLES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,8711, dated July 15,1862.

To @ZZ whom, it 1v1/ty concern."

Beit known that I, LORENZO S. GRAvEs, of. Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented a new and Inishowing the diein the commencement of the act of cutting the leather; Fig. 4, a similarsection in the sameplane, but showing the die l as having cut throughthe leather and formed the sole.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is desirable in mostcascs,espcc ially in light worksuch as for ladies use-to have the edgesof the sole when applied to a boot or shoe and iinished occupy avertical position instead of beveling outward, or, in other words,occupy a perpendicular position to the horizontal plane of the outersurface of the sole. As the sole when fitted is somewhat convex incrosssection, it is necessary, in order to accomplish the object inview, that the plane sole, when cut out of the leather, have such abevel of the edges that when fixed to the last the said edges shallassume the proper position without cutting or trimming by the knife orother- Wise. The only manner of forming such soles heretofore has beenby cutting them out with a knife, or by a die having a follower orformer above it, of such form as to bend the leather into the shape itis to have when fixed to the boot or shoe, and between which die andformer the sole is cut.

1t is the object of my invention to cut out the plane sole with theproper bevel by the simple use of a suitable die alone, without theemployment of any other parts, except the necessary press or arrangementfor applying the power.

In the ordinary die for cutting out soles the inside of the walls orsides is made plane or vertical from top to bottom, and the outside ofthe Walls is beveled off at the bottom, so as to form the cutting-edgeon the inner side of the thickness of the die. By this means the edgesof the sole are cut out vertically instead of beveled, as is the objectof myinvention. I reverse this arrangement of the die,as follows:

The die A is of the ordinary shape in plan, corresponding with the formof the sole, and may be made of different sizes. The outside o'fthe'walls or sides B B are usually made plane or vertical, or nearlyso,from top tobottorn, or have a slight hollow at a, thus giving thecutting-edge a small outward inclination. This inclination is notessential, but may be preferred in some kinds of work. The inside of thewalls B B are made beveling outward at the bottom, as represented at b,thus form ing the cuttingledge c of the die at the outside of the saidbevel, and preferably at the outside of the thickness of the wall, butnot necessarily so. Itis only requisite to have a bevel inside to give aproper inclination to the edges of the sole,and therefore acorresponding bevel on the outside of the wall may also be used, ifdesirable, without impairing the novel effect of the die. The acutenessof the bevel b varies with the inclination to be given the edges of thesole, a greater inclination requiring la less acuteness, and vice versa.Thus arranged, as the edge of the die cuts into the leather and thelatter is forced up into it, the distance across the die is lessened byreason of the bevel I) inside,and the sole O is consequently crowdedinward from all its sides and closely compressed, (or caused to rise inthe midd'le,) as indicated in Fig. 4. The action is therefore to drawkthe leather inward, by which means t-he bevel on the edges is eut. Thisarrangement is very simple and accomplishes the object perfectly. lt isalso very cheap, as nothing but the die itself is necessary to cut theperfect sole, which does not require trimming by the knife. The powermay be applied to the die by any suitable means.

W'hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

The die A, having the edge of its walls beveled on the inside at b, andhaving the cutting-edge c outside the said bevel, so that the die willcut a beveled sole on a plane surface, substantially as herein setforth. In witness whereof T have hereunto signed my name in the presenceof two'subscribing witnesses.

A -L. s. eEAvEs.

Witnesses:

D. C. JoHNsoN, R. F. Oseoon.

